Device for treating food products



F. G. CORNELL.. JR

DEVICE FOR TREATING FooD PRODUCTS March lo, 1931.

Filed June 8, 1927 .ing drawings wherein Patented Mar. l10, 1931 UNITED: STATES FRITZ G. CORNELL, JR., OF CALDWELL, NEW` PATENT `(o1-rice JERSEY, Assrernonv :no JENSEN CEEAMERY `MACHIN'ER'Y C0., OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ACORIPORATION 0F NEW YORK DEVICE Eon TREATING Foon PRODUCTS Application filed June V8,

This invention relates to devices for treating dairy and other food products so as to pasteurize, heat, cool, ripen or hold such products. i

. `Certain types of devices for treatingdairy and other f food products involve a containerl within which isv provided a coil, agitator, propeller, or impeller driven by a shaft passing through the wall of the container and mounted in a stuffingbox orv the like arranged below the level of the fluid in the vat. The milk or other productv contained in the-vat may work its way between the stuffing 'box and the shaft where, un-

less it is removed, it becomes putrefied and may result in serious lcontamination of subsequently treated products. a .a f f An object of thisinvention is'a liquid or semiliquid product treating device equipped with. a stuliing box from which any accumulation such as would be the case with dairy products between the stuffing box and the shaft may be readily removed and sterilization effected. l

, A ccording to the present invention,means are provided for forcing a'suitable medium, preferably sterile water, Steam orboth, between the shaft and those Surfaces surrounding the shaftwith which the dairy product comes in contact. VBy so doing any accumulation of dairy product in the stuffing box between the shaft and the surfaces surroundii'lg the'shaftwith which the dairy product comes into contact may be Washed out and sterilization effected. To accomplish this a space, for example, a groove, is provided either in the shaft or stufling box surface or both with which communicates a conduit for supplying the washing or sterilizing Huid. Also the stufling box may be equipped with a steam jacket or another heating element heated and sterilized. Y n n Other objects, novel features and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the following specification and accompany- Fig. 1 `1s a vertical section through 1.a device embodying the inventlon. l Fig. 2 is a section on the llne 2-2 of Fig. 1.

1927. seriaino. 197,353.

10 designatesany wall of a vat orconn Vof a shaft-1,2 extending through the Wall 10 and by means of which the coil 11 or agitator is rotated. The shaft 12 is mounted 1n astuiiing box 13 which is arranged in an aperture in the wall 10 and has a head 14 which engages the inner surface of the wall. The stuliing box is clamped in position yand in fluidv tight relation to `the ,wall by means of thek nut 15 threaded on the stuHing box and engaging-the outer face of the wall lO.

Packing rings 16 surround the shaft y12 at the end of the surfaces withy which thefood products come into Contact and are held in fluid tight Contact with'the shaft and body Aof the stuiiing box by the gland 17. The gland 17 and packing rings 16 constitute the bearing for the shaft 12, the other end of the coil being supported by va corresponding shaft similarly mounted'. v

At the end of the surfaces surrounding the shaft with which the dairy product comes into contact adjacentthe packing rings 1G there is provided in the shaft 12 or the stuffing box a suitable space, for example, a groove. As shown, a groove or grooves are provided in each of these members opposite each other to form a peripheral conduit .18 or only one groove may be provided in either member 12 or-13. A discharge pipe 19 controlled by a valve2() con'nnunicates with the conduit 18 as does also the pipe 21 controlled by valve 22. In vthe pipe 21 there is provided a drain 23 and beyond the valve 22 the pipe 21 is provided with a loop or other means to form a trap 21a.

. ripheral chamber 24 through which steamor hot water may b e circulated by means of thepipes 25 and 26 controlled by the valves 27 and 28 respectively. If desired, otherv means (not shown) may be provided inthe stuffing box for supplying heat thereto.

A pulley 29 or other means is provided on the shaft 12 bywhich 12 may be rotated. The shaft 12 may be hollow to act asl a iin Vtreated in the vat.

between the shaft-and the surfaces surroundl ing thefshaft'Withwvhichthe food product comes into contact. The conduit- 18 or other space provided collects milkor the like lthat may Work its Way along the shaft, there being around the shaft va narrowspace 131Y between the inside of the container and the conduit 18, as shown. Unle'sssuch'accumulation is removed after treatment of' a batch of milk orthe like, it becomes putrefied and decomposesand may re'sultin serious contamination of milk or the likesubsequeiitly Vith a stufling box embodying the present invention any accumulation in the stu'fhngbox may be easily removed Vand sterilization effected. By opening the valves A2O and 22 steam or other cleansing fluid maybe caused "to flow or Wash through the conduit 18 or` other space provided, su'ch as '31, or'through cock 28, thereby Washing it clean Vof any `material thatmay have, accumulatedtherein. By opening valve'Q() and cock 23,-the `material within the stuiiing box is permitted to run 'out Vthrough cock23;v or valve 20 mayzremain closed anducock 23 only opened for this purpose, or'both 'valve 20 and cock may be closed, in Which case thewater from 91a and steamsupplied to conduit 18, "or other space provided, `4`will be forced out along with the accumulation of dairyproducts With-in the stuffing box, "through the space .3l between the stuffing box and the shaft. and on into the vat. Also steam may beV suppliedto the chamber .'Qito a t in sterilizationby'proper regulation of the steam inlet vvalve 2T and exhaust cock 28. The provision ofa loop or trap in the pipe Qlaprovides for thevaccumuation of sterile water for Washing. terile'wz'iter may be obtained by closing' valvesQl and 2T to 'trap `steam condensation in the loop or trap `and aliowing it to condense. The Water-thus condensedis laterl forced by steam vor other pressurev back of it into the stuffing box for Washing purposes.

t is of course understood that various structural modifications may be made Without in any Way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. y Y n Having thus described my invention, what I cl imY as new and desire to secure by Let tei-s Patent of theUn'ited States is: y

` l. An apparatus for treating dairyvproducts comprising a container, rotatable shaft extending through a Wall thereof, a

stuiiingbox for said shaft mounted in said Wall, a peripheral groove in one of said members and a conduit for supplying fluid thereto, said conduit having a loop for holding a supply of iiushing liquid.

2. An apparatus for treating liquid food products comprising a container, a rotatable shaft-extending through a Wall of said container, astufling boxfor said shaft mounted inv said Wall and means for forcinga suitable medium between said shaft andstuifng box to Aremoveaobjectionable accumulation that may have become lodged therein, said stuffing boxfha*ingprovision for heating` those surfaces with which the food product comes in contact. Y I y 3. Anappara'tus for treating dairyfproducts comprisinga container, a. rotatable shaft extending through one Wall thereof, a stuff ing box for said shaft,A and a conduit for supplyinga cleansing medium between said shaft and those Vsurfaces'of said stuffing box with which the dairy product comes in contact, said conduit having means Within Ywhich to hold `a supply of 'fiushing liquid.

An apparatus fortreating foodprod- 'nets comprising a container, a rotatable shaft yextending through a Wall of said con-V tainera stuihngbox` for said shaft mounted in said Wall, rmeans for forcing cleansing "fiuid between surfaces of 'saidfshaft and stufling box with Which the food Vproduct comesv in contact to 1remove any'food productt-hat -may *have accumulated therebetween, a steamA jacket for said stumng box and means for suppiying steam thereto.

An apparatus for treating food products comprising a container, a rotatable shaftextending through a Wall thereof, a stuffing box "for saidrshaft mounted-in L'said Wall, aperipheral `groove in one of said members, and a-coird-ult for supplying 'fluid thereto, said stuingfbox':having provision-for heating the surface -With Vwhich the food product comes incontact. 1

G. An apparatus V'forl treating food-prod` ucts lcomprising y ajcontainer, a rotatable 'shaft extending through a Wall thereof,1a stuffing -box'for said shaft mounted in-said rWall', a peripheral groove in one o'f said members, acconduit for supplying fluid thereto, a steam Ichamber in saidl stuflingfl-box and means for Ysupplying steam thereto.

T. An apparatus for treating food` productsl comprising ra container, va rotatable sha-ft extending Vthrough one -Wall thereof, a stuilin'g--box'lforsaidfshafha groove in one of said members, and av conduit 'for supplying steam:y to said groove, said conduit being Vprovided vvithl-meansavithin lwhich to tra-p and condense steam.

8. An apparatus fory treating EdairyE prod- 'uct-s"coinprising f a container, ia nrotatable shaft extending through-.one Wall of said container, a stuiiingbox for-saidshaft, a

steam jacket in said stuffing box, a conduit for supplying steam between the surfaces of said shaft and stufiing box, a conduit communicating therewith for supplying steam to said steam jacket and a means in said first conduit withinwhich to trap and condense steam.

9. An apparatus for treating food products comprising a container, a rotatable n, shaft extending through one wall thereof, a stufiing box for said shaft, a conduit for supplying steam between said stuffing box and shaft, said conduit being provided with a loop Within which to trap and condense 1;, steam. Y

l0. An apparatus for treating` dairy products comprising a container, a stuffing box mounted in one wall of said container, a

rotatable shaft extending through said stuffing box, packing rings interposedr between said stufiing box and shaft, a groove between said shaft and'stufiing box, a'conduit communicating with said groove for supplying steam thereto, and means in said conduit within which to hold a supply of flushing liquid.

1l. An apparatus for treating dairy products comprising a container, `a stuiing box mounted in one wall of said container, a rotatable shaft extending through said stuffing box, packing rings interposed between said stuffing box and shaft, a groove between said shaft and stufiing box, a conduit communicating with said groove for supplying steam thereto, means in said conduit within which to trap and condense steam, a steam jacket in said stuffing box and a conduit extending from said first conduit to said stuffing box for supplying steam thereto.

l2. An apparatus for treating dairy products comprising a container, a stuffing box mounted in one wall of said container, a rotatable shaft extending through said stuffing box, packing rings between saidy 4;, stuffing box and shaft, a groove between said shaft andstuiiing box, a conduit communieating with said groove for supplying steam thereto, said stuffing box having provision for heating the surfaces of the shaft and 5@ stuffing box with which the dairy product comes into contact.

13. An apparatus for treating dairy products comprising a container, a stufiing box mounted in one wall of said container, a ronf,- tatable shaft extending through said stuffing box, a conduit leading through the wall of the stufiing box and the conduit, said conduit being provided with a loop for receiving a supply of cleansing liquid.

(ze In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRITZ G. CORNELL, JR. 

